Revival [The Lake House Sequel]

Chapter 13

Ana

Gavin and I stood in the back of the church, both frowning down at the dark floor. The funeral was packed and I was completely shocked. For a town that hated Justin and his family so much, you wouldn't expect the whole town to come and pay their respects. I doubted half of these people had ever even said a word to Richard. But it was a small town and who would really want to miss all of the gossip at the hottest event of the season?

I wouldn't say I wasn't sad for Richard. Death is death and when it happens so suddenly, it's hard to wrap your head around. I couldn't believe he was gone and that Justin was the only one in his family left.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom." I muttered over to Gavin, sliding through the line of people next to me.

I was running my hands under the faucet when one of the stall doors popped open. Emily, of all people, stepped out. It was almost comical. The last full conversation I'd had with her was in a bathroom.

"Ugh," She fluffed her hair up after washing her hands. "Funerals make me feel so empty." She sighed.

"I would have thought you had better things to do than express condolences to the town psychopath."

Emily looked down at her nails. "I'm not that heartless."

"Are you sure about that?" She didn't say a word. "It was nice of you to come." I muttered, brushing past Emily and walking back out into the church.

Justin was still standing in front of the casket. He looked awkward in his suit-the same suit he wore when we went to the dance last year. When he had the tie loosely hung around his neck and the first few buttons undone. Now, the shirt was done up to the top and if the black tie were any tighter, it'd be strangling him.

He stared down at the open casket with those dead, empty eyes. He continued staring, even when they shut it. His expression didn't change as they carried Richard through the church. I couldn't help but wonder who Justin was now and how this would change him.

--

"So the Mob huh?" Gavin mutters to me at the cemetery after we watch Richard's casket get lowered into the ground. A large group of dark-jacketed men surround the grave, paying their last respects and expressing their apologies to Justin.

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you-"

"The guy's been staying with me for the past week. We've been bonding." Gavin shrugged. "He's a good guy."

An older man walked up next to Justin, embracing him. "Justin."

"Hi Dimitri, it's good to see you again." He shook the man's hand.

"I'm so sorry for your lost. Richard was...an exceptional man."

"Yeah, he was..." Justin looked down. "Something else."

"Let's take a walk."

I watched Justin walk away with Dimitri, head bowed. His hands were shoved into his pockets, shoulders slouched.

"Yeah, he is a good guy." I said to Gavin. "He really is."

--

Justin drove me home later on that night. We were pulled outside of his house, just sitting in idle silence.

"I've been to two funerals in the last month." I stared up at the foggy sky.

He leaned his head back against his seat. "I have to go back to that house alone. I don't know how I'm going to bring myself to look through all of his things and pack them up. What am I even supposed to do with it all?"